7 Traits Of A Good Chiropractor - A Full Guide
Not all chiropractors are created equal… in fact, there are 7 traits of a good chiropractor you should look for when looking for when choosing your pain relief specialist. Most chiropractors have some of the traits mentioned here, but few have all of them.
When you find the chiropractor who has all of them… and is local to your area… you have a winner.
Our advice? Make an appointment with the ‘winner’ as soon as possible and start your journey to health as fast as humanly possible.
The rest of this article will break down in detail what each of the 7 traits are and why they are important. So go ahead and follow us as you no longer have to wait in the waiting room… your name has been called to see the doctor.
Table Of Contents:
- Trait 1: A Chiropractor Who Takes X-Rays
- Trait 2: A Chiropractor Who Does Posture Analysis
- Trait 3: A Chiropractor Who Adjusts The Full Spine With Extremities
- Trait 4: A Chiropractor Who Gives You Supporting Exercises To Do At Home
- Trait 5: A Chiropractor Who Meshes With Your Personality
- Trait 6: A Chiropractor Who Has The Environment You’re Looking For
- Trait 7: A Chiropractor Who Practices What They Preach
- Conclusion
Trait 1: A Chiropractor Who Takes X-Rays
This is the most popular question our office receives… and for good reason. Choosing the right chiropractor is crucial for your health and well-being, but it can be extremely difficult to find a good one, not to mention it’s time consuming.
Would you want a surgeon working blind on you? No of course not. It is so imperative to have imaging when starting a care program with a chiropractor because you need to see what is going on.
Why X-Rays Are Important
If someone has degeneration or breakdown which is also known as arthritis, it’s important the chiro knows this and can focus their care on those specific areas. This will create much needed motion in those segments, breaking up scar tissue and inflammation… which increases circulation to that area to flush everything out. This is incredibly important to help keep and maintain good movement in your joints.
If someone has instability in a segment of their neck, their ligaments may be stretched and most likely too loose. If a patient has this, they won’t respond well at all to adjustments in that area and you will make the patient worse.
The best reason for an X-ray is peace of mind knowing nothing is serious in your spine… or knowing there is something serious, so you can put your attention on it and fix it. If you’re looking for a chiro, look for one who takes and utilizes X-rays for your treatment. It’s truly a no brainer and it will ensure you are getting the best care possible.
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Trait 2: A Chiropractor Who Does Posture Analysis
The second thing to look for is to find a chiro who does some form of posture analysis. X-rays are a great resource for the practitioner so we know as clinicians what the heck is going on.
A detailed posture analysis is also super important because that’s what patients resonate with. They see their posture everyday, and everyone wants a good upright posture with their shoulders back.
Dr. Michael Vanderschelden puts himself in his patient’s shoes, imagining he’s the patient and thinks of everything he would want a chiropractor to do. This allows him to provide the right care and truly ‘deliver the goods’ as he says.
Showing patients evidence their posture is improving build trust showing what the chiro is doing is really working.
Trait 3: A Chiropractor Who Adjusts The Full Spine With Extremities
We can’t stress how important this is. Many chiros out there only adjust the areas that are causing pain, or causing the most pain, and practice on the assumption that less is more.
We personally disagree. It’s important to adjust all the segments that need work, which is determined on your exam and X-ray findings. This isn’t just going to be the areas they have pain in.
Some people may have some type of rotation in their pelvis or low back that they aren’t aware of, but just because they don’t feel pain doesn’t mean we would NOT correct and improve the mobility of those areas.
Adjusting Extremities Is An Overall Badass Experience
When you get your shoulders, wrists, hands, fingers, hips and ankles adjusted, you feel like a million bucks. You’re walking on air. You should expect your chiro to do this for you… no exceptions.
Some chiros are trying to rush you and not give you the full treatment, and that’s not acceptable. The worst feeling you can have is leaving a treatment feeling incomplete… like you waited an hour to get on a ferris wheel only to go once around and you’re done.
You might have even driven an hour in traffic to go see your chiro, to get rid of that nagging pain in your neck, or whatever ailment you have. It’s not cool to feel like a ‘number’, getting you in and out as fast as possible. You can get that experience with your regular doctor.
Trait 4: A Chiropractor Who Gives You Supporting Exercises To Do At Home
The majority of the patients we see sit too much, are stressed out, and may not have the best diet. For these people, good solid adjustments are going to be a game changer. The reality is their results will go to the next level if they do supporting exercises at home.
Take an example of someone coming in with neck pain. Let’s say we find from their X-rays and posture analysis their neck curve is going forward in the wrong direction and have a lot of forward head carriage. They will improve with adjustments.
If we also give this patient a special neck wedge to lay on a few minutes a day, and a few other exercises that help with maintaining good joint mobility in the neck, they will improve WAY more and they will be less dependent on us for improvement. This enables the patient to take more ownership and control of their health.
For you, your chiro should not only go over exercises during your sessions, but they should send you video tutorials of the exercises they go over, and provide an in depth video library of what exercises are good to do.
Trait 5: A Chiropractor Who Meshes With Your Personality
Your relationship with a chiro is a lot more intimate than other healthcare practitioners because you spend so much time with them and it’s very hands on. If you don’t like your chiro, don’t resonate with the message your chiro is preaching, that will ultimately affect your results.
How To Vet Out A Chiropractor
A good way to vet out chiros is by looking at their social media videos. Most chiros out there in todays day and age are showcasing their skills on social media, so you can get a pretty clear picture of what their personality is like.
If finding someone who is funny is important to you, then seek that out. If finding a more serious clinician who comes off more educated and gives out more health advice vs just performing adjustments, then seek that out. This is really a personal preference, and there is no right or wrong answer there.
Another good way to vet out a chiropractor is to look at the Google Reviews for the business… and actually read them. You will find so many nuggets of information with the reviews. A lot of reviews will be positive… which are important to read… but some of the neutral or negative reviews will give you more insight. Nevertheless, take each and every review with a grain of salt.
Trait 6: A Chiropractor Who Has The Environment You’re Looking For
Talking about the environment in an office is something rarely talked about, but it’s necessary to point out. Some chiros adjust patients in private rooms, and some chiros have one big open room with a bunch of tables all out in the open. There are obviously pros and cons to each.
If you want the fastest appointments possible with flexibility in scheduling, then seeking out a more open style adjusting format is good. These types of offices usually have adjusting hours like, for example, 12-2, when they adjust. You basically show up in that time frame, check in at the front desk, you wait in line until your session is up, you then get called to a table, and they adjust you out in the open in front of everyone.
If its during a busy time period, your wait time could be significant, or if its in a slower time of day, you could get right in. But the wait times will typically vary. Chiros who want to see the most people possible choose this method of practice.
If you want someone who spends a little more time with you and you like to have a scheduled appointment with minimal wait times, then find one who has scheduled appointments vs adjusting hours. If you want a little privacy when getting adjusted and don’t want to be in a big chaotic room in front of everyone, choose an office that has adjusting rooms. There is no right or wrong answer here, it’s all personal preference.
Trait 7: A Chiropractor Who Practices What They Preach
It all starts with integrity. Integrity is honesty and truthfulness of ones actions. This basically means finding a chiropractor who practices what they preach.
This is where you align your actions with the principles and advice that you advocate to others. If you advocate certain behaviors, values, or guidelines, practicing what you preach means that you actually follow those guidelines in your own life. It's about being consistent between your words and your actions.
Your chiro must look and act the part. That sentence may seem controversial and out of touch… but you get the truth here at HB Chiropractic.
If your doctor is sedentary and obese, yet preaching the good word of nutrition and exercise, your bullshit meter is at full red. It’s the same as a fitness coach telling you what to do while eating a bag of Doritos with a super-sized 128oz Coke.
Your chiro doesn’t have to be a GQ model, but does have to come across as authentic and genuine. If your gut feeling is something is off… then it is. Trust your gut.
It’s also not inappropriate to ask what supplements your doctor takes, if that’s part of their recommended regiment. You’d be surprised how many chiros talk the talk, but don’t walk the walk. Do your research, ask questions, talk to them.
The right chiropractor might not become your best friend, but you can build a long-term healthy relationship with your chiro that will benefit you for years and years to come.
Conclusion
Looking for a good chiropractor can be challenging, but you you understand the 7 traits of a good chiropractor that were outlined above, you’ll be well ahead of the game.
In summary, you want a chiropractor that:
- Takes X-rays.
- Does posture analysis.
- Adjusts the full spine with extremities.
- Gives you exercises to do at home.
- Meshes with your personality.
- Has the right environment you’re looking for.
- Practices what they preach.
A good chiropractor can be the difference between living a life filled with pain and sluggishness, or living a life filled with joy, happiness, and abundance.
We are way past the point of choosing traditional health care with poisonous pills from Big Pharma. We are looking for alternative solutions that treat AND CURE the root cause, not just temporarily cover up the pain or symptoms.
If you’re local in SoCal or don’t mind driving a little to our happy home in Huntington Beach, click the orange button below and book an appointment with our staff. We promise your experience will be amazing and your BS meter will never register anything.
18600 Main St STE 110, Huntington Beach, CA 92648
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Office Hours
Monday-Thursday:
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Friday: Closed
Saturday: By Appointment Only
Sunday: Closed
(714) 794-2171
Subscribe To Dr Mike's MVP Newsletter.
Thanks for subscribing! Please check your email for further instructions.
Office Hours
Monday-Thursday:
7:00 am - 11:00 am, 2:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Friday: Closed
Saturday: By Appointment Only
Sunday: Closed
18600 Main St STE 110, Huntington Beach, CA 92648
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